US3596298A - Lifting device - Google Patents

Abstract

Lifting apparatus adaptable for aiding an ambulatory handicapped person. The apparatus may accommodate a person between a sitting position and a standing position. The apparatus aids in raising or lowering the individual between the two positions. The apparatus includes a pair of arm rests for engaging an individual beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder. The apparatus provides lateral and vertical movement of the rests. The vertical motion of the rests responds to a first piston means and the lateral motion to a second piston means with the start and stop operation controlled directly by the individual.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor John A. Durst, Jr.

1050 Graham Hill Road, Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060 [21] Appl. No. 824,630

[22] Filed May 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 3, 1971 [54] LII-TING DEVICE 7 Claims,4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 5/81, 5/83, 297/423 [51] lnt.Cl A61g 7/10, A47c 7/54 [50] Field 01Search 5/81, 62,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,991,485 7/1961 Schulte 5/81 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg AuomeysJack M. Wiseman and Thomas E. Schatzel ABSTRACT: Lifting apparatus adaptable for aiding an ambulatory handicapped person. The apparatus may accommodate a person between a sitting position and a standing position. The apparatus aids in raising or lowering the individual between the two positions. The apparatus includes a pair of arm rests for engaging an individual beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder. The apparatus provides lateral and vertical movement of the rests. The vertical motion of the rests responds to a first piston means and the lateral motion to a second piston means with the start and stop operation controlled directly by the individual.

PATENTEDAUG 3 ansum 1 or 2,

INVENTOR.

JOHN A. DURST, JR. BY k (/JM FII3 l ATTORN Y5 PATENTEBAUB 3l97l 3,596,298

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS JOHN A. DURST, JR

LIFTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to lifting apparatus and particularly to lifting apparatus for aiding temporarily or permanently ambulatory handicapped persons.

The apparatus is designed to remove the necessity of manually lifting or/and lowering an individual who is unable to raise or/and lower himself due to the nature of his disability. Such a handicapped individual when alone or attended by a physically limited assistant, frequently wishes to be in a standing position but is unable to do so. The individual may desire to assume such a position merely to stand, to hobble about, use crutches or use other aids to move about depending on the nature of his disability. Furthermore, once in the standing position, he may require aid in reassuming the sitting position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention teaches lifting apparatus which is operable by the handicapped individual to raise and lower himself between a sitting and standing position. This alleviates to a large degree the dependence of the individual upon the presence of one physically capable of assisting him. The apparatus may straddle a chair, stool or wheel chair at which the individual is sitting or desires to sit. The apparatus supports and raises the person from a sitting to a standing position or, in reverse, lowers the person from the standing to the sitting position. It is designed to be capable of being readily moved about to various locations to aid patients or for storage.

An exemplary embodiment of the apparatus includes a structural base platform having two members laterally spaced apart to straddle a chair. Each base platform supports at laterally spaced junction points the end of a first and the end of a second tubular piston. Each piston is pivotable about its junction point. The other end of each of the first pistons engages the cylinder of the second piston. The other end of each of the second pistons engage a cradle carrying arm rests adapted for engaging an individual beneath the junction of the arm and the shoulder. Accordingly, the cradle engages and supports the individual. Assuming the individual is first in a sitting position, the first pistons urge the cradle laterally in an arcuate path to support the individual between a normal sitting position and an erect upright sitting position. The second pistons then urge the cradle upward and the individual between the erect upright sitting position to the standing position.

The power to operate the pistons may be pneumatic or hydraulic with the individual himself having control of the start and the stop of the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the lifting apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating various positions during operation;

FIG. 3 illustrates a section of a cylinder-piston of the structure of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow and valve diagram of the fluid circuit of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention referred to by the general reference character I. In FIG. I, the apparatus I is illustrated as it would appear when supporting an individual in an erect upright sitting position. The lifting apparatus I includes a base support structure referred to by thegeneral reference character 3. Thebase support structure 3 is adapted for positioning the apparatus 1 astraddle a chair. Thebase structure 3 includes a pair of invertedU-shaped channel sections 5 connected by a tie member 7. The tie member 7 is secured to thechannel sections 5 by means of a pair of L-shaped angle braces 8, one at each end of the tie 7. Near each end of each of thechannel sections 5 is afriction pad 9 to provide frictional security between the lifting apparatus 1 and a floor or ground surface. Thebase structure 3 further carries a pair of wheels 11 mounted near the end of thechannel sections 5. Thus, when the apparatus 1 is tipped to lift thefriction pads 9 from the supporting surface the wheels engage the surface and the apparatus may be rolled to a location to aid a patient or to a storage location. When the apparatus 1 is in a stationary position, the fourpads 9 support the apparatus 1 such that the wheels 11 are not in contact with the floor or ground surface.

The apparatus 1 further includes a lateral urging structure referred to by thegeneral reference character 13 for urging an individual from a normal sitting position to a more erect sitting position. Thestructure 13 includes an expansion-retraction means in the form of a pair of tubular-pistons 14. One end of each of the tubular-pistons 14 is in engagement with atrunnion 15, also common to one of thechannel sections 5. Accordingly, each of the tubular-pistons 14 is pivotable about its associatedtrunnion 15 engaging an associatedchannel section 5. Parallel to each of thepistons 14 is arestraining bar member 17 which carries atrunnion 18 at one end secured to one of thechannel sections 5. Therestraining bars 17 extend responsive to the expansion-retraction condition of the associated cylinder-pistons 14. Therestraining bar members 17 as such restrain the lateral position of thelateral urging structure 13 by restraining the expansion limit of thecylinder pistons 14.

The ends of thepistons 14 andrestraining bars 17 are common to a vertical positioning mechanism referred to by thegeneral reference character 21 for urging and lifting an individual from the upright sitting position to the standing position. Themechanism 21 includes an expansion-retraction means in the form of a pair of tubular-pistons 23 each having atrunnion 25 common to one of thechannel sections 5. In FIG. 3, there is depicted a section of one of thepistons 23 which is also similar to that of thepistons 14. Apiston chamber 26 of each of the tubular-pistons 23 engages aclamp member 27 secured thereto. Each of theclamps 27 engage the other end of an associated tubular-piston 14 through atrunnion 29 thereby forming ajunction point common to thelateral urging structure 13 and the vertical positioning means 21. Thus, the tubular-pistons 23 may expand and retract in a direction substantially vertical relative to the lateral direction movement resulting from the lateral urging means 13. Thetubularpistons 23 each have acylinder segment 30. Onecylinder segment 30 is parallel to a limitingrod 31 which is guided by a slide-throughguide 35 secured to theclamp 27 and aslidethrough guide 36 secured to thecylinder 30. One end of therod 31 includes an end fastener such as anut 37 and aspring clamp 38. Therod 31 also carries acompression spring 39 intermediate theguide 35 and anend nut 40.

Thecylinder segment 30 of each tubular-piston 23 supports a cradle adapted for engaging an individual and referred to by thegeneral reference character 41. Thecradle 41 comprises a pair of U-shaped tubular supports 43 and 44 spaced apart to support aback rest member 45. The ends of thesupports 43 and 44 engage a pair of tube anchor clamps 47. Thesupport 43 is secured to theclamps 47 by a pair of fastener pins 48 and thesupport 44 is secured to theclamp 47 by a pair of fastener pins 49. The anchor clamps 47 are secured to thecylinder segment 30 of thetubular pistons 23 by a pair of hand screws 51. The hand screws 51 allow adjustment of the tension of theclamps 47 and adjustment of the cradle structure along thecylinder segments 40 to provide a desirable position.

Pivotable about each of thefasteners 49 and joining thetube 44 is afront arm member 53. Also pivotable about thetube 44 and laterally spaced from thefront arm members 53 are a pair ofrear arm members 54. Each of thefront arm members 53 is associated with one of therear arm members 54 to support an under-the-arm rest 55. The arm rests 55 extend substantially normal to the back rest member45 to provide a cradle effect for supporting an individual under his arms. Each of thefront arm members 53 is of tubular cross section and carries ahook member 57. Thehook members 57 are permanently secured to thearm members 53. The anchor clamps 47 each carry aneye member 59 permanently secured thereto and supporting alink chain 61. Thehook members 57 may each engage a link of the chain depending on the position of the associatedfront arm member 53 about its pivot point formed by thebar 44 andpin 49. Accordingly, the lateral distance between the arm rests 55 may be selected to accommodate the individual with the distance preset according to the selected links of thechain 61 engaging thehooks 57. The internal volume of thetubular arms 53 secure the loose ends of thechains 61 so they do not interfere with the individual.

As noted by FIG. 4 and the sectioned segments in FIG. 1, the present invention includes valves to accommodate a fluid system, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic system for activating thetubular pistons 14 and 23. Within the tie member 7 there is included anactuator valve 63 responsive to an on-offrelease button 65 which is actuated responsive to a L-shapedmember 67 secured to thepiston chamber 26 of the associatedtubular piston 23. The vertical positioning means 21 is responsive to the position of the lateral urging means 13 such that when thepiston 23 assumes a position normal to thechannel sections 5, Le. thecradle 41 is so positioned as to support an individual in an erect upright sitting position, thevalve 63 is actuated to supply pneumatic or hydraulic fluid pressure to thepistons 23. Thevalve 63 joins a pair ofoutput lines 69 and 71 and aninput line 72. The output lines 69 and 71 are common to a T-junction 73. Each of thelines 69 and 71 extend to one of the associatedcylinder pistons 23. Theinput line 72, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is common to the system input, to arelease valve 75 supported within one of the base supports and to each of thecylinder pistons 14.

It may further be noted that as depicted in a broken-away segment of FIG. 1 thenut 40 of the limitingrod 31 is common to alever arm 77 engaging apressure release chain 79 extending to therelease valve 75. Accordingly, actuation of the limitingrod 31 controls therelease valve 75. Actuation may result directly from the individual or theguide 36 engaging thespring clamp 38. Theclamp 38 in combination with therod 31 serves as a limit switch. When thecradle 41 has reached the elevation such that theguide 36 engages thespring clamp 38, therelease valve 75 is actuated thereby releasing the incoming fluid pressure. At the same time, when the cradle is desired to be lowered, the limitingrod 31 serves as a down control. The individual merely lifts therod 31 to actuate therelease valve 75. The system fluid pressure is released through thevalve 75 such that the cylinder-pistons 14 and 23 retract. While retracting, the vertical positioning structure supports the individual until he rests on the chair. He is then returned to the normal sitting position due to retraction of thepistoncylinders 14.

Further, viewing FIG. 3, it may be noted that the pistoncylinders 14 and 23 include acylinder cap 80, apiston cap 81 and aplunger 82 secured to a journal 33. Thepiston cap 81 is threaded to thepiston 26 securing them as a unit. Theline 69 is secured to thepiston cap 81 by acoupling 84 threaded thereto within anaperture 85. Surrounding the outer edge of thepiston cap 81 and sealing the cylinder chamber is aseal 86. Thus, the fluid source is extended directly to theexpansion cylinders 30. This tends to conserve the volume of air or liquid required for operating the cylinder-pistons l4 and 23.

The fluid power to activate thepiston cylinders 14 and 23 may be controlled from an outside source responsive to control signals. The control signals may originate from a control box 89, supported by ahook 91 positioned to be readily accessible to the handicapped individual. The control box 89 may control a remotely located air or fluid compressor (not shown). The cycle of operation, assuming an individual is to be raised from a normal sitting position, begins with thecradle 41 inclined an acute angle relative to thebase support 3 with thepiston c linders 14 and 23 bottomed out as indicated by Position 1 0 FIG. 2. The cradle engages the individuals bac and the arm rests 55 engages the individual beneath the junction of his arms and shoulders. With the individual suitably cradled, the individual applies power through the control box 89 such that pressure is applied to activate thepistons 14. Thelateral urging structure 13 through expansion of thepistons 14 urges thecradle 41 and the subject individual laterally with a forward and slightly upward movement to Position 2 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Upon reachingPosition 2, theactuator valve 63 is actuated through thebutton 65 andmember 67 and thevertical positioning mechanism 21 actuated. Thecylinderpistons 23 then urge the individual and cradle upward to the desired height,Position 3. The individual controls the desired height ofPosition 3 through the control box 89. The individual may then leave the confines of thecradle 41. Upon return, the individual actuates the power through the control box 89 to build up pressure and raise thecradle 41 in the event leakage has resulted in lowering of thecradle 41. Then the power is removed and the limitingrod 31 actuated by the individuals hand. The cradle is then returned toPosition 2 and Position 1.

I claim:

1. A lifting device for invalids comprising:

a. a base;

b. posts mounted on said base for pivotal movement relative to said base;

c. elevation control means on said posts spaced from said base for controlling the height of the distal end of said posts above said base;

(1. arm rest carried by said elevation control means for movement therewith;

e. back rest c carried by said elevation control means for movement therewith;

f. pivot control means interconnecting said base and said posts and disposed below said elevation control means for controlling the pivotal movement of said posts relative to said base; and

g. means connected to said elevation control means and said pivot control means for controlling the operation thereof, whereby the height and the lateral positioning of said back rest and said arm rest relative to said base are adjustably controlled for the movement of an invalid between seating and upright positions.

2. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each post has thereon elevation control means for controlling the height of the distal end thereof.

3. A lifting device as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said back rest includes a U-shaped support carried by said elevation control means on each of said posts.

4. A lifting device as claimed inclaim 3 wherein said arm rest is carried respectively by said elevation control'means on each of said posts.

5. A lifting device as claimed inclaim 4 wherein each post is connected respectively to said base by said pivotal control means for controlling the pivotal movement thereof relative to said base.

6. A lifting device as claimed inclaim 5 wherein said means for controlling the operation of said elevation control means and said pivot control means are fluid operated.

7. A lifting device as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said back rest includes vertically spaced U-shaped supports carried by said elevation control means on each of said posts interconnected by back-engaging means.

Claims (7)

1. A lifting device for invalids comprising: a. a base; b. posts mounted on said base for pivotal movement relative to said base; c. elevation control means on said posts spaced from said base for controlling the height of the distal end of said posts above said base; d. arm rest carried by said elevation control means for movement therewith; e. back rest c carried by said elevation control means for movement therewith; f. pivot control means interconnecting said base and said posts and disposed below said elevation control means for controlling the pivotal movement of said posts relative to said base; and g. means connected to said elevation control means and said pivot control means for controlling the operation thereof, whereby the height and the lateral positioning of said back rest and said arm rest relative to said base are adjustably controlled for the movement of an invalid between seating and upright positions.

2. A lifting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each poSt has thereon elevation control means for controlling the height of the distal end thereof.

3. A lifting device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said back rest includes a U-shaped support carried by said elevation control means on each of said posts.

4. A lifting device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said arm rest is carried respectively by said elevation control means on each of said posts.

5. A lifting device as claimed in claim 4 wherein each post is connected respectively to said base by said pivotal control means for controlling the pivotal movement thereof relative to said base.

6. A lifting device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for controlling the operation of said elevation control means and said pivot control means are fluid operated.

7. A lifting device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said back rest includes vertically spaced U-shaped supports carried by said elevation control means on each of said posts interconnected by back-engaging means.

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